Memorials, Myths and Symbols (Part 3)

Archeological and Anthropological Values

Some people may be critical of studying archeology of the recent past, particularly for a subject as well-documented as World War II. Archeology, after all, is often viewed as the recovery of lost or forgotten information from the distant past. In truth, archeology actually functions as a scientific tool to extract meaningful information about human behavior from the material record regardless of age. Given an event of the magnitude and emotional impact as Pearl Harbor and the Arizona's loss, perceptions and memory -- even the historical record -- are clouded by what the participant or historian chose to see or thought they saw. People see the same event differently, based on their unique psychology and experiences prior to the event. While archeologists suffer from the same "behavioral baggage" in their analysis, they work not from imperfect memory and selective documentation but rather from the wide range of physical remains of an event. The study of the Arizona and other sunken remains from December 7, 1941, offers not only first-level impressions of what happened and what survives, but also provides the means for assessing reality against perception and accounting for the differences in human behavior. Hence, the archeology of Pearl Harbor is a laboratory for analyzing society's myths, symbols and images -- the expression of what makes people what they are.

If the remains of Pearl Harbor dead are sacrosanct, the physical remains of ships and aircraft are not. Artifacts salvaged from USS Arizona are scattered around the United States like holy relics. The ship's formal silver set resides in Arizona's capitol, while one of the ship's bells rests on a pedestal in the memorial. An anchor from the ship adorns the entrance to the visitor center ashore. Fragments and instruments from Japanese planes shot down during the attack are displayed at Pearl Harbor and elsewhere in the United States. The discovery of other Pearl Harbor "relics" have resulted in their recovery from the bottom in the past, most notably a midget submarine recovered in 1960. Public interest was highest in the submerged cultural resource assessment when items that potentially could be recovered were found, notably again a midget submarine. But when a particular "artifact" could not be recovered, the capturing of images on video in drawings resulted in peaks of public interest. The maps and drawings of the Arizona impart a fuller sense of what lies beneath the oil-soaked waters of the harbor, and are eagerly sought. Similarly, the scale model of the wreck intrigues visitors who seek more than glimpses from the memorial.

This scale model in the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center shows the public how the ship looks today, and how the memorial spans -- but does not touch -- the wreck beneath it. The model is based on surveys of the wreck conducted by National Park Service archaeologists in the 1980s. Photo by Brett Seymour, NPS.

The Symbolic Value of USS Arizona

The remains of USS Arizona is the major focal point for visitors to Pearl Harbor. There has been some discussion of whether interest in World War II sites will diminish when the last of the combatants are gone. Such was not the case with the Civil War, as attested by a host of sites, museums and books. The interest in Arizona might decline in future generations, but the basic purpose of the memorial and its dependence on the ship probably make that unlikely. As a naval memorial, Arizona will always be the subject of honor and reflection by the U.S. Navy. To other Americans, the ship and its memorial will continue to be a major American shrine, for it reflects the basic truths of how we perceive and deal with war. It remains a potent symbol, meaning many things to many people. For those survivors of the event, and for the families of those dead entombed in the ship, USS Arizona is a place to come to confront the past and perhaps come to terms with it.

For many Americans alive on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was a symbol of the nature of the enemy they fought. Propagandists often employ emotion-laden terms, and for war-generation Americans, Japanese military conduct is summed up in phrases like "Rape of Nanking," "Pearl Harbor" and "Bataan Death March." For some people, USS Arizona symbolizes the character of the enemy attack. While the Japanese were castigated for a "suicide" mentality during the war, particularly Kamikaze plane attacks, Americans also honored the same ideal. Historian John W. Dower notes that "On the eve of Pearl Harbor, one of Hollywood's most popular offerings was They Died With Their Boots On, an Errol Flynn movie commemorating Custer's Last Stand." For some, then, Arizona is a symbol speaking to those values, much like Custer Battlefield or the Alamo. The issue of Japanese "infamy" and "perfidy" will probably ultimately fade, but the universal concept of sacrifice and honor of those who died for an ideal will not.

The ultimate symbolism of USS Arizona and the memorial, however, is the basic perception of war and its conduct. To many Americans of an older generation, Arizona, the national symbol of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, also symbolizes the need for preparedness, for military strength, and for alertness. It is also an object lesson for those who vow "never again."

To a later generation that fought in Vietnam or protested the war, USS Arizona has been seen as a memorial to the futility of war and the inevitability and finality of death brought by the use of force between nations. Whatever the perception, however, Arizona is a symbol, and the ultimate significance of the vessel and its memorial lies in the ability to be all things to all people. USS Arizona and the events of December 7, 1941, continue to reflect cherished stories, cultural values and beliefs, not only of Americans but of people from other lands and cultures as they also confront the face of war.

Photo by Brett Seymour, NPS.